“Do you always come prepared for any eventuality?”
“I try.” Charity put on a stern expression. “But you’re wearing your sash. Don’t try to get out of it.”
Van fluttered her eyelashes. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Jameson whistled in appreciation when Charity led Van back out to the main room. “Miss Bronco,” he said, “you’re even more beautiful than before.”
Was he wearing her down with the hot looks, the flattery and the teasing?
Well, maybe a little. He was always so charming, the very definition of irresistible. No matter how often she reminded herself that she needed distance from the man, a certain rebellious streak deep in her heart couldn’t help looking forward to the next time she might see him.
She desperately wished she could actually forget The Night That Never Happened.
“Your sister knows her way around a makeup kit,” Van said.
Charity seemed pleased. “A few enhancements never hurt. Now let’s get going.”
“Plenty of room in my truck,” Jameson said. “We can all ride together.”
Forbidden images of their night together dancing in her head, Van nipped his suggestion firmly in the bud. “Callie and I will follow you two.”
Charity grabbed her hand. “First, we need to choose your hat.” The four of them left the apartment and gathered around Jameson’s big, black quad cab, from which Charity produced three gorgeous spangled hats. She tossed two of them back onto the rear seat and held up the third. It was snowy white with an actual tiara sewn on above the brim.
“This one,” she declared. “It’s a crown and a hat at the same time.” She placed it at a jaunty angle on Van’s head. “Perfect.” Charity primped a couple of Van’s loose, dark curls in a proprietary manner. Really, Van thought, Jameson’s sister was a sheer delight. “You have your sash?” Charity demanded.
Nodding resignedly, Van held it up.
“All right, then,” said Charity. “We’re ready to go.”
Jameson felt more than a little disappointed that Vanessa gave him zero chance to persuade her to ride with him. Instead, he had to watch her follow Callie past her silver Subaru to an olive-green Jeep. Vanessa took the passenger side and Callie slid in behind the wheel.
“Well?” asked his bossy little sister. “Are we standing here in the parking lot all day for some reason?”
He turned and chucked her under the chin. “Get in and let’s go.”
The Bronco fairgrounds consisted of a giant, open, graded field on rolling land not far outside town. Both Jameson and Callie found spots in the main parking lot, but he knew that by the end of the day, trucks and SUVs would fill the overflow lot farther out.
Jameson had planned ahead and bought plenty of tickets two weeks before, enough for his whole family and then some. He gave Vanessa and Callie two of the extras so none of them had to wait in line to get them. Once they were through the gate, Charity led Vanessa off to take care of Miss Bronco business. He and Callie climbed the stands to claim enough space for four in one of the rows of benches.
“There they are.” Callie pointed into the arena, where Vanessa was shaking hands with a tall, powerfully built cowboy. Even from up on the stands, that cowboy looked a whole lot like the guy who played the lead role in theCreedmovies. “That’s Geoff Burris, isn’t it?” Callie asked.
“The one and only.” Burris, Bronco born and raised, was currently setting the rodeo circuit on fire. Women loved the guy. Jameson sat forward. He watched Vanessa closely for any sign that she found Geoff as fascinating as everyone else did. He relaxed a little when he saw her smile. It was friendly and easy, that smile—with none of the heat he felt when she looked athim. Now, if he could just get her to admit that their one night had not been anywhere close to enough...
Callie said, “I heard we might get the Mistletoe Rodeo right here in Bronco, at the convention center in November. I also heard that Geoff is a big part of why that might happen.”
Jameson nodded, his eyes on the action down below. A couple of the clowns led out a white mare with a thick white mane and tail to match. They gave Van a boost into the saddle. “It never hurts,” Jameson said, “when a homegrown cowboy grows up to be a rodeo champion. Hey, I didn’t know Vanessa could ride.”
Callie shrugged. “Looks that way to me.”
Earl Tillson, apparently the official announcer for all the Red, White and Bronco events this year, introduced the new Miss Bronco. Waving and flashing her pearly whites, Vanessa rode the mare around the arena. God, she was gorgeous—and already coming into her own as a special kind of beauty queen, one with attitude and sass and her own personal style.
By then, the stands were full. The roar of applause, whistles and stomping feet filled the air. One or two yahoos booed. Jameson stiffened and started to rise.
Callie reached across the two spaces they were saving and grabbed his arm. “Easy, cowboy. Some people are still upset about Van’s surprise win. Let them blow off a little steam.”
Scowling, he stayed in his seat and muttered, “They kick up much more sand, I’m dealing with them.”
“So...” Callie drew out the word. “What’s really happening between you two?”
